Jolly Rancher Flavored Popcorn Balls

A couple of months ago, I was walking through Winco and found a product that got me really excited.

Jolly Rancher Gelatin mix!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009R3YD9U/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009R3YD9U&linkCode=as2&tag=httplifeshoul-20

Can you believe it?

Maybe I’m a bit too excited about it, but I thought I’d share what I have been using it for lately (two more Jolly Rancher posts to follow, so check back for them). I don’t like to use Jello mixes to make Jello, I usually just use them to make popcorn balls, so I thought I’d give it a shot with this new product and boy is it good, the flavoring is true to the candy. Winco carries it in Watermelon

and Green Apple, but I’ve seen that Amazon has a couple more options in addition…Blue Raspberry

and Cherry.

*Winco and Amazon are the only places I’ve seen it so far, but it’s WAY cheaper at Winco*

Anyway, I just use a basic gelatin popcorn ball recipe, sourced here:

Printable Version

1 Cup Corn Syrup

½ Cup Sugar

1 Package of Jolly Rancher Gelatin

10 Cups Popped Popcorn

* Always use Pure Cane Sugar when making candy, for best results*

Directions:

Mix the first 3 ingredients in a heavy sauce pan.

Bring this mixture to a boil (I do mine on medium heat) and cook until the sugar has dissolved (no longer). This should only take about a minute once it has reached a boil.

Pour over popcorn and mix well…you’ve gotta move quickly while it’s still hot, but be careful not to burn yourself. The original recipe says to wet your hands under cold water, shake them off (don’t dry them) and work quickly to form balls, but I find it easier to just have a medium sized bowl full of cold/ice water next to the bowl of popcorn so that I can keep re-wetting my hands quickly and I don’t have to keep going over to the sink.

Unless you have a second person helping you wrap the balls, it’s nice to have a big sheet of parchment paper laid out on the counter to put all the balls on until you have them all made and can wrap them. I wrap mine with plastic wrap, but the directions say to use waxed paper… I don’t think it really matters much, it just slightly sticks to the plastic. If you make medium sized balls, it should match 1 ball equals one cup of popcorn.

I’m sorry to be posting some things (lately) that have artificial coloring, I try to avoid it, but when I do make something with it in it, it better be REALLY good and to me, this qualifies…hence the sharing. Anyway, go make some Jolly Rancher flavored yummy treats!